


Bifur, Our Resident Nazgûl Expert

by octopus_fool



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Ableism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bifur needs more love, Bifur-centric, Community: hobbit_kink, Complete modification of LOTR canon, Gen, The One Ring - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-12-11 22:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/octopus_fool/pseuds/octopus_fool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having been close to death, Bifur can sense ghosts, wights and wraiths and knows if an object has been in contact with them. Unexpectedly, this is of more use during the quest than even Gandalf would have guessed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bifur, Our Resident Nazgûl Expert

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by both [this prompt](http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/5821.html?thread=14040509#t14040509) and the [googlism prompt](http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/7346.html?thread=16304050) over on the HKM.

“Thorin Oakenshield!” Gandalf drew himself up to his full height. “You ought to know very well that Bifur is completely capable of being part of your Company despite his old injury.”

The dwarven king squirmed under Gandalf’s look. “In general yes, but can I rely on him in dangerous situations? He tends to lose control and then his attack...”

“…Will still be aimed against our enemies,” Gandalf interrupted Thorin determinedly.

“And what about the toymakers’ guild he leads?”

“Now you are really making up reasons not to take him along. The guild has been led by more than one dwarf in its history and I am sure a successor will soon be found. Bifur wants to go on this quest, so he will. Who knows, perhaps his abilities will be of great use on the journey. If you refuse to take him with you, I am afraid you will have to do without my help as well.”

Thorin crossed his arms but he nodded.

***

The dwarves drew their weapons and waited tensely as the crashing sounds from the forest came closer. A strange vehicle shot into the clearing and stopped in front of them.

“Are those _rabbits_ ? Bilbo asked, gesturing towards the animals pulling the sled. Bofur shrugged his shoulders.

Gandalf seemed to relax when he saw the strange old man steering the sled. He smiled and stepped towards him.  
“Radagast, my old friend! What brings you to this side of the Misty Mountains?” 

“I… there... danger! Danger!” Gandalf needed a while to calm the other wizard down enough for him to utter mostly comprehensible sentences.

“The old fortress in Mirkwood… it is inhabited again! A dark shadow and this blade…”  
He got out an object wrapped in black fabric. Gandalf carefully unwrapped it.

Bifur came closer cautiously and flinched back when he saw the sword.

Gandalf took a breath to ask Bifur something when a howl made them freeze. And then fleeing from orcs and wargs was more important than an old blade.

***

“I just see an old piece of steel. Why do you believe the blade is a Nazgûl sword?” Saruman’s face was skeptical.

Bifur gestured.  
“He says the sword resonates with evil, stronger than he has ever felt from any sword before,” Gandalf translated.

“And what does a dwarf understand of such matters?”

“After being close to death, Bifur has developed a sense for these things. He can feel the presence of ghosts, wights and wraiths and notices if an object has been in contact with them. He has also read quite a few things about the topic on his journeys.”

“Well, let us hear what else our short _expert on the undead_ can tell the wise about this sword,” Saruman sneered.

Bifur grimaced but began signing with his hands again.

“The sword spent a long time in the presence of a strong wraith,” Gandalf translated. “Not long ago, it was still with its dark owner. It is likely the owner was a Nazgûl; Bifur says he doesn’t know what other creature could have tainted this sword with so dark a presence. The decorations on the sword are also typical…”

Saruman snorted. “We do not have time for tales from a dwarf who cannot even use the Common Speech. And how am I to know you are not simply putting the words in his mouth?”

Bifur growled and took a step towards Saruman.

“Thank you, Bifur. Perhaps you ought to return to your cousins,” Gandalf said quickly. “You were a great help, but I think you can’t accomplish anymore here.” 

Bifur muttered and left the room.

***

Bifur had been sitting in the Elvenking’s dungeons for a week when Bilbo suddenly appeared out of nowhere.  
Bifur was startled. This wasn’t the hobbit he had met in the Shire. He talked and walked the same way as always and he still seemed as uncertain of himself, but there was a shadow on him.

Against his will, Bifur shrank back.

/What happened? What did you do?/ he asked in Iglishmêk.

“Don’t worry, it’s just me,” Bilbo said. “The others are fine, but I haven’t found Thorin yet.”

/Good, but something is wrong with you. Did those damn elves do something to you? Why are you able to move around freely?/  
This time, Bifur didn’t only try talking with his hands but in Khuzdul as well, even though he suspected it would not be of much use.

Bilbo shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry, I understand neither Khuzdul nor your hand signs.”

Bifur slammed his fist into the wall and Bilbo edged backwards.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

Bifur nodded but stayed at a safe distance to Bilbo.

“Are the elves treating you badly?”

A shrug and then Bifur shook his head.  
“Do you get enough food?”

This time, Bifur nodded.

“Good, so that isn’t the problem. Do you also have enough to drink?”

Another nod.

“Do you miss your relatives?”

Bifur nodded and then shook his head. Bilbo gave him a confused look.

“Well, which of the two is it? Do you miss them or not?”

He made a frustrated sound and then pointed at Bilbo who gave him another confused look.  
“Do you miss _me_ ?” Bilbo asked, disbelievingly.

Bifur growled again.

“Oh. You miss your relatives but you don’t want to see me.”

Bifur banged his head against the wall in frustration, cursing in Khuzdul.  
When he looked up again, he saw how Bilbo disappeared around the corner and glimpsed a flash of gold at the corner of his eye.

***

When they finally escaped from the elves weeks later, the darkness around Bilbo had grown.  
Bilbo told them about the ring that made him invisible and Bifur knew that the changes were connected to the ring.

When they arrived in Laketown, Bifur pulled Bofur aside.

/I’m worried. The ring Bilbo carries with him is turning him dark./

“The ring? That small piece of jewellery? You worry too much, Bifur.”

Bifur shook his head.  
/No, really! The ring is surrounded by a shadow like the Nazgûl sword, only different, stronger. And it is rubbing off on Bilbo. Besides, Bilbo didn’t even let me take a closer look at the ring./

Bofur looked over to Bilbo, who was huddled on a bench in the corner, sniffling into a red handkerchief.

“Are you trying to say the ring is slowly turning Bilbo into a _Nazgûl_ ? I have never seen anyone who reminds me less of a Nazgûl than Bilbo. He probably just didn’t want to show you the ring because he has heard too many stories about the greed of dwarves. I’m sorry, but I think you are really reading too much into it this time.”

***

Bifur tried to forget the whole thing. Perhaps Bofur really was right and he was worrying needlessly. He avoided Bilbo as much as possible. Bifur told himself that he would stop seeing the shadows around Bilbo if he stopped looking for them.  
In reality, being close to Bilbo sent cold shivers down his spine.

But Bilbo coped bravely with every challenge thrown at him, discovering the keyhole and talking with the dragon. Every time he emerged from Smaug’s treasury, the shadow had grown darker. Bifur told himself he was merely imagining it. Still, he slept uneasily.

One evening, when he had joined Bombur on his watch and was looking down on the lights of Elves and Men, Bifur realized he couldn’t stand it any longer. He said goodbye to Bombur and climbed down from the barricaded Main Gate.

He found Thorin in the treasury. Thorin jumped when Bifur said his name but gave him a weak smile.

“Bifur. Is everything alright?”

Bifur hesitated briefly and then began forming the words with his hands.  
/I’m worried. There’s something wrong with Bilbo. He is surrounded by a darkness that emanates from his ring and I am afraid he soon might no longer be himself. I thought you ought to know this so that you could decide what is to be done. I didn’t know who else to turn to./

Thorin frowned.

“Thank you, Bifur. I am glad you let me know.”

***

The next morning, the dwarves were shocked when Bard claimed to have a basis for negotiation and held up the Arkenstone as proof. Thorin seethed with anger but Bifur focused on something more important. He tried to give Gandalf a sign, but the wizard only paid attention to Thorin.

Perhaps rightly so, because when Bilbo admitted to giving the Arkenstone away in order to prevent a war, Thorin shook the hobbit and held him out over the gate.

“I never should have trusted you, Bilbo Baggins. You truly are a burglar and burglars are double-crossing scum. I was even warned you were up to no good and I didn’t react immediately.”

Bofur gave Bifur an accusing look and Bifur felt guilty. The way Bilbo was hanging over the gate almost limp with terror, it was hard to imagine him being dangerous in any way.

“I ought to throw you down,” Thorin exclaimed. “Traitors like you must be punished!”

“Thorin Oakenshield! Set my burglar down immediately!”

“You’re welcome to have him,” Thorin said. “I have no more use for him anymore.”

Bilbo was let down the wall with a rope and hurried away with Gandalf, Bard and Thranduil. Bifur had no opportunity to talk to Gandalf.

***

The opportunity only arose after the battle was won. Thorin, Fíli and Kíli had sustained grave injuries but the orcs and wargs had all either been killed or had fled. Dáin, his army and the uninjured members of Thorin’s Company began making Erebor inhabitable again. Peace was made between Erebor and the neighbouring kingdoms. Dale’s people got their compensations.

Bifur heard that Gandalf, Bilbo and Beorn planned to leave soon. He had rarely seen Bilbo during the past couple of days, but when he did, it had still been enough to convince him that something really had to be done. The shadow that hung above Bilbo had grown much darker in the battle.

Gandalf smiled when he saw Bifur.

“What can I do for you, Bifur?”

/I’m sure you can remember that I could sense that the sword the brown wizard showed us was a Nazgûl blade./

“Yes, thanks to your unusual talent, I was able to convince the White Counsel to expel the Necromancer from Dol Guldur. If nothing unexpected happens, Middle-Earth will hopefully not be bothered by him again for several centuries.”

/I saw something that exudes the same malice as that sword, only stronger. Right here in Erebor./

Gandalf’s face became serious. Bifur saw him contemplate this new information and then turn pale.  
“It was you who talked to Thorin about Bilbo, wasn’t it?”

/Yes. I didn’t know he would react in that way. But the darkness surrounding Bilbo keeps growing and since you weren’t here, I thought Thorin would be the best person to alert./

“But he was too caught up in the gold sickness to understand what you were really trying to say.” Gandalf sighed. “It is Bilbo’s ring, isn’t it?”

Bifur nodded.  
/I have never seen such a strong shadow around such a small object. Each time Bilbo uses the ring, some of it passes on to him./

Gandalf briefly closed his eyes.

“This changes everything. Tell Bilbo, Dáin and Balin to gather in the throne room. Tell them it is urgent, but don’t tell them what this is about.”

***

“My ring?” Bilbo asked. “But why should it be dangerous? It just makes me invisible when I wear it.”

“I hope I am wrong,” Gandalf said, “but Bifur ought to take a look at it, just to be sure. Please put it onto the table.”

Bilbo reluctantly took the ring out of his pocket and did as he was told.

“Have a look, Bifur. Just remember not to touch it.” Gandalf said.

Bifur stepped towards the table and inspected the ring. It made his hair stand on end. There was not just a shadow on the ring.

“It... it’s whispering...” Bifur said in Khuzdul.

“What is it saying?” Gandalf asked. “Can you make out the words or at least repeat them?”

“I don’t understand them. It sounds like _…nazg gimbatul, ash nazg…_ “

“That’s enough!” Gandalf interrupted him quickly. “Thank you.”

“Gandalf? Is everything alright?” Balin asked in concern. The wizard had turned even paler and sat down. “What does it mean?”

“That is Black Speech. I don’t understand the words, but I do not have to. This is one of the Rings of Power. The nine rings are with the ringwraiths. This is no dwarven ring; it is too unadorned for that and I know where the three rings of the elves are. This one, this is the One Ring.”

Balin turned as white as a sheet as well, but Dáin and Bilbo just looked at Gandalf cluelessly. Bifur didn’t need an explanation. He could hear the promises the Ring was making, promises of power, glory and wealth.

Gandalf explained the significance of the Ring to the others.

“This… this ring that I wore so often, it is _Sauron’s Ring_ ?!” Bilbo asked disbelievingly.

“Everything indicates it is. And as long as the Ring exists, Sauron can regain power. We must destroy the Ring, and soon. I suspect Sauron can sense the Ring was found. He will set his servants into motion much sooner than I thought.”

Bifur’s hands jolted into action.  
/It can’t be destroyed! There is no hammer, no anvil that can break its power!/

Gandalf nodded.  
“No, it is impossible to destroy it in that way. But there are old reports that state it can be destroyed where it was forged: in Mount Doom in Mordor. We must take it there as soon as possible. Sauron and his servants are still weak and must regroup. If we go east first, through the southernmost foothills of the Iron Hills and then travel along the Redwater to Dorwinion and move towards Mordor from there, we will avoid any proximity to Mirkwood. That route will also have the advantage that no one will expect us to take it.”

“How many warriors do we need?” Dáin asked. “I ought to keep at least 200 warriors here to protect Erebor. The other 300 can be spared and if needed, more can join from the Iron Hills.”

Gandalf shook his head.  
“It is probably better to travel with a small group. Perhaps we can stay undetected that way. You ought to stay here and protect Erebor until Thorin and his nephews are back on their feet. If there is going to be an attack, it will be here.”  
He looked into the round. “Are you up for another adventure, Bilbo?”

Bilbo took a deep breath. “I got us into this, so I will do the best I can to get us out of it again.”

Gandalf nodded. “Balin, Bifur?”

Balin put his hand on Bilbo’s shoulder. “Bilbo helped us, so I will do whatever I can to support him.”

Bifur continued starring at the Ring in the center of the table and heard it whisper. He was filled with cold dread at the thought of being exposed to this darkness and the alluring words for weeks and months. The words seemed to burn themselves into his mind, the murmurs saying that he just had reach out his hand....  
Suddenly, it all became too much and he stumbled away from the table to put more distance between himself and the Ring.

“I… I, no, please let me stay here!” He stammered in Khuzdul.

“There is no shame in staying here and contributing to Erebor’s rebuilding and protection,” Gandalf said.

In the end, Dwalin, Bofur, Glóin, Beorn, Bard’s son Bain and Legolas of the Woodelves decided to accompany Bilbo and Gandalf as well. They left a week later.

***

Two months later, Bifur was sitting at dinner with Dáin, Thorin, Fíli and Kíli when a messenger hurried in.  
“There are three riders at the main gate demanding to speak to the king.”

The group hurried to the gate and looked out into the dusk.

“Are you the king?” One of the three figures asked and Bifur felt a shiver run down his back.

/Nazgûl./ He signed towards Thorin. /They were together with their brothers not too long ago, so the other six are not far off./

The king gave a barely noticeable nod.

“I am Thorin Oakenshield. With whom am I speaking?” He called over the balustrade.

“If you help us, you are talking with friends. We are looking for Baggins. Is he here?”

“Yes, that is the name of one of our guests. What do you want of him?”

“We would reward you richly if you bring him to us. The ring of your father, the ring that was passed down Durin’s line from generation to generation, it never reached you, did it? We can give you back what is yours. You only have to give us Baggins.”

Thorin laughed.  
“If you want him, you will have to get him yourselves. Every dwarf in this mountain will stand in your way and fight until the bitter end. We do not sell our friends.”

“You will regret this decision, dwarf.” With a bloodcurdling scream, the riders turned their horses and sped away.

The five dwarves looked at each other. Erebor was well equipped for a siege by now. Now they could only wait and hope that Bilbo and his companions made it to Mount Doom without any problems.

It was the least they could do for their friend.

***

When the war was finally over, it was Roäc the raven that brought tidings. “Nine travellers are approaching from Lake-Town, the ones you have been waiting for. They will be here by night-fall.”

Thorin’s council broke into a frenzy.

“We must prepare the greatest feast the mountain has ever seen!”

“There must be fanfares and a parade to greet them!”

“Jewelry! We shall gift them with gold to acknowledge their great accomplishments!”

Thorin let his fist crash onto the table and stood. “SILENCE!”

The council quieted. 

“Roäc, are they all well?”

The ancient raven bobbed his head. “Quite weary from the long journey, but well enough.”

“Thank you. There will be feasts and there will be ceremonies, but they will have wait. Bilbo has saved all of Middle-Earth after already playing such an important role in winning back Erebor. An official welcome would not be an honour for him, it would be a chore. I think what Bilbo would welcome most would be a good but not too fancy meal and rest. Dori, have the chambers prepared. Bifur, will you alert Bombur and the kitchens? And Fíli, let the guards keep everybody away from the South Gate this evening.”

They nodded and hurried off.

“The council is dismissed for today.”

***

Only the Company greeted Bilbo and the other travellers. There was much rejoicing as brothers and cousins were reunited. Thorin was the first to greet Bilbo.

“I never realised just how much I had underestimated you when we first met. We and Middle-Earth owe you much and more.” With that, Thorin pulled the hobbit into a hug. 

Finally, Thorin pulled back. “We had rooms set up for you and a meal prepared.”

“I hope it’s not cram?”Bilbo asked. “Because if I have to eat any more of that stuff, I feel I may start turning into dry bread myself.”

The corners of Thorin’s eyes wrinkled and he laughed.

“No, only meat, vegetables, fresh bread and mushrooms. 

“Mushrooms!” Bilbo beamed.

“I think Bombur decided to try out some of the recipes you gave him during our quest,” Kíli pointed out.

“Good old Bombur! I trust everybody’s wounds have healed well?”

Fíli nodded. “Óin knows what he’s doing. And the woodelves helped quite a bit as well.” He nodded politely at Legolas, who was hovering in the background.

As Thorin and his nephews began greeting the others, Bilbo made his way over to Bifur. Bifur shuffled his feet in anticipation. He hadn’t been able to sense the shadow when Bilbo greeted the others, but he still couldn’t be quite sure. 

Bilbo smiled up at him. There were grey shadows under his eyes and although he was smiling, his entire face spoke of the hardships he had been through. His hair was turning grey at the edges.  
Still, Bifur breathed with relief. Although the Ring had left its traces on Bilbo, its evil shadow had lifted and no longer had any influence on him.

Bilbo hesitated and then slowly began forming the Iglishmêk words with his hands.

/I want to thank you. If you hadn’t noticed what the Ring was, I don’t know what would have happened./

Bifur stared at him in surprise.

“I’m afraid I’m not very good at expressing myself in Iglishmêk yet; my comprehension skills are a bit better," Bilbo said wryly. “I wanted to be able to communicate with you, so Bofur started teaching me on the way back. He says I’m pretty much an honorary dwarf now, after all I’ve done. I think I’m still somewhat lacking in the beard department...”

Whatever else Bilbo had wanted to say was cut off when Bifur pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.


End file.
